ISO 9001
M & G Fire Protection (Essex) Ltd operates a quality assurance
system that meets the requirements of ISO 9001: 2000, this
system is regularly audited both internally and externally by
URS Ltd who are an UKAS approved assessor.

THE BRITISH FIRE CONSORTIUM
All fire alarm and emergency lighting engineers have undergone
training and passed examinations under the Consortium.
All electrical connections are completed by competent electrical
engineers as required. All training staff are experienced fire
extinguisher or fire alarm engineers who have undergone training
with the Consortium to enable them to train both in the use of
fire extinguishers and fire warden procedures.

BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment)

SCHEME SP101
M & G Fire Protection (Essex) Ltd is registered with BAFE under
scheme SP101 for the contract maintenance of portable fire
extinguishers; the aims of the scheme are as follows:

The purpose of this and the other serviced based schemes is to
specifically enhance the requirements of ISO 9001 to unique areas
of the fire protection industry and in this instance the maintenance
of portable fire extinguishers. The net result of companies embracing
this scheme should be threefold:

• Allows the accredited certification body clients meeting the
requirements of the scheme and the standard to gain ISO9001
registration and also BAFE listing.

• The continuing assessment activity ensures that the company
maintains the system and processes in place to ensure on going
compliance to the scheme requirements, this should also provide
opportunities for business process improvement in organisations.

• And finally, and perhaps most importantly, it provides the end user
with the confidence that the maintenance work they are paying for is
being undertaken by appropriately trained competent professionals in
professional manner.

Below are some key points taken from the BAFE
website - www.bafe.org.uk:

1. " In today’s environment of risk assessment, with the
increasing responsibility for safety on the owner / occupier,
it is increasingly important that the quality of fire protection
ensures “fit for purpose” and is installed and maintained by
“competent persons”. In buying your fire protection from a
BAFE Registered Firm you are assured of this. Choosing fire
protection from a BAFE Registered Firm ensures that its
products and services conform to recognised standards.
Where relevant an independent third party certificate of
conformance is issued that can be used as part of a
statutory defence in law, should the necessity arise."

2. "If you are an employer or building owner / occupier you
have a duty of care under the Fire Precautions (Workplace)
Regulations (1997) as amended to take the necessary steps
to protect your employees and people within your building
from the risk of fire. In today’s society where “blame culture”
is becoming the norm the need to show that you have
taken “due care” is important particularly in the event of a
fire incident. By specifying and using BAFE registered firms
operating independent third party certification schemes you
are able to show that you have exercised your
“duty of care responsibilities”

SCHEME ST104
This scheme is the Registered Technician Scheme Covering
Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers.

M & G Fire Protection (Essex) Ltd were the first Company in the
Essex area to register under this scheme, all technicians have
since gone under assessment and successfully passed in
September 2003. All extinguisher technicians now wear their
BAFE identification cards with pride.

The following statement is taken from the BAFE website.
"The prime objectives of this scheme are to increase the
competence of the service technicians working in the field
thus providing the end user with an improved and safer service.

The main benefits are:
• Independent overview of technicians
• Consistent level of service
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Recognised industry benchmark
• Provides quality organisations with a market differentiator
Applicants joining the scheme are provided with a portfolio which
contains a guide to obtaining the BAFE registered service technicians
qualification, the evidence of assessment, the assessment process,
planning and achievement, individual unit elements to be assessed.

The essential areas of knowledge to be covered by the
assessment are:
• Theory of Fire
• Types of Fire risk
• Maintenance procedures
• Provision and siting of equipment
• Health and Safety
• Applicable British and International Standards
• Regulatory and legislative requirements.

The assessment of this knowledge is field based and is carried
out by experienced, qualified, independent assessors who also
have commercial and management skills.

When the technician has successfully completed the identified
areas in the portfolio and has a positive recommendation from the
field based assessor, the portfolio is verified by BAFE, this is usually
carried out at the service organisation’s premises. BAFE have the
responsibility to verify the portfolio and the authority to concur or
reject the assessors’ recommendation.

When the verification is positive the Technician is entered on to the
register and issued with a BAFE Diploma and Identification Card
which are valid for a three year period.

During the three year validity of the card, the individual technicians
are subject to on going surveillance activity by the field based
assessors, thus ensuring continued compliance with the
requirements and confidence for the employing organisation
and end user alike."